Cursed
by Thetimetel
Summary: A thousand years before Cooro, a deal has been made that will forever alter the fate of Astaria.
1. The Deal

_"Know only that Noroi had seen dark and terrible deeds, and that there was blood on Noroi's hands that would never wash off."_

_-Chapter 32 of We Four Freaks_

* * *

_It's cold out here. I mumble a curse as I wrap the cloak around me all the tighter. It just __**has**__ to be winter. I glance at the cold, bare trees that run along the path. It's a very quiet night, and the only sound I hear is my horse's hooves clattering against the rocky path._

_It does not take long for my horse and I to reach our destination. It is a little-known pub not far from the path, known as the Witch's Brew. In complete contrast to the intimidating area around us, the large wooden building looks strangely warm and inviting, with a warm light visible from the window inside of the establishment. There are only four horses standing outside the building, tied to a pole by their reigns to keep them from running away._

_I soon add my horse to that pole, and walk up to the building. At the entrance are two large and clearly strong men, both of them currently eyeing me curiously. I suppose that is to be expected, I've only just turned twenty. I must look young to be visiting such an establishment. When I walk up to them, the one on the left demands to know what I am doing here._

_I know what he's doing. He may have sounded cruel, but that was the __**point**__. Things could get rough in a pub, so they wouldn't let the spineless in. As such, I force myself to look directly in his eyes as I tell him that he has no right to know that information. He stares at me tensely for almost five seconds, but he eventually grins as he opens the door. "Good answer."_

_I have to fight my instinct to thank anyone that compliments me. 'Tough' guys wouldn't do that, so I just pass by him as if he didn't say anything._

_The inside the pub is surprisingly inviting, with several round tables surrounded by empty chairs. It's clearly a slow night tonight, there's only one customer sitting by the bar. He's obviously been here for a while, as evidenced by the large beer mug in his hand and the precarious angle of his swaying body. I fight the urge to choose a seat far away from the drunk. That would be a sign of weakness. If I don't upset him, he wouldn't be any harm._

_As I sit down, the barkeep enters the room. I'm surprised to see how __**tall**__ this brute of a man is. He clearly doesn't need a bouncer to keep things from getting out of hand. If that happened, he looks like he would just walk over to the troublemakers and physically throw them out of the pub himself._

_He looks down at me with amusement in his eyes. "Hmm, quite a scrawny young man to be in such a place."_

_I look him directly in the eye as I tell him I'm not here to drink, but for 'other services'. This only makes him grin wider. "Oh __**ho**__, boy. You're looking for a good time tonight then? Fortunately, there's one girl 'on duty' tonight. That'll be five thousand gillah up-"_

_I don't let him finish the sentence. I have to give the code before he mentions the name of the girl that's 'offering her services', otherwise there is a __**very**__ slight chance the drunk next to us might realize something is up. "I prefer the girl known only as 'Bloody Mary'."_

_THAT gets a reaction from the barkeep. He visibly flinches, but after giving a quick glance at the drunk next to me he says what I know he will. "Oh, so she's your style?"_

_I nod, forcing myself to give a slight smirk. Maybe it's me being paranoid, but even the drunk knowing what was going on would probably be a bad thing. Alright, I'm supposed to say . . . "She may have a temper, but she never fails to please."_

_As the barkeep gives a slight grin back, the drunk next to us addresses me. "Ah, like 'em feisty now do yeh?"_

_I ignore him, as does the barkeep. To my relief, the barkeep then gets out from behind the counter and tells me to follow him. I get up, and he leads me down a hallway and out of the drunk's hearing range. To the drunk, it probably looked like I'm going in here for 'a good time'. Once we are sure the drunk can't hear us, he speaks quietly to me. "You're the fourth one today. Last one was about an hour ago."_

_I cock my head to the side. Really? "It was done in that amount of time?"_

_The barkeep shakes his head no. "The last one made a __**big**__ mistake. You can't call an assassin a 'yellow-bellied coward what hides in a pub' and live to tell about it. Now because you're young, and because I do not enjoy picking up after one of his tempers, I want to give you some pointers. Don't mouth off to him, DO show him respect, and do not - I repeat, __**do not -**__ name a price you can't pay."_

_I nod. It's all stuff I know, but the fact that he is warning me tells me that the assassin is likely still in a bad mood. However, there __**is**__ one more thing I want to be sure about before I meet this assassin. "I got the information on him from a . . . friend of mine. My friend mentioned to not judge the assassin by his age. Am I right in assuming the assassin's younger than me?"_

_The man nods again, confirming what I was told. "That is correct. He's sixteen, but he's got quite a few kills under his belt. He's been trained from a very young age in his job. After all, this is his family's tradition."_

_I nod again. I heard that too, how this kid had been rigorously trained by both his mother and his father in this art. I had also heard how, when told to assassinate their own child, his parents __**accepted **__the job, yet the child managed to kill not only them, but also those that gave the order._

"_Alright, he's in here."_

_I can't help but gulp as the man nods to the room in front of us. The old wooden door is closed, and the man tells me to stay back a bit before he opens the door a crack and peers inside. "Noroi? You've got a customer."_

_Now, if I'm going to be completely honest with myself, I may be a bit nervous by this point. I've never done anything like this before. I've never been in such dangerous territory. When I hear the boy spoke, his voice reminds me of two cold stones grating against each other._

"_Send them in."_

_With that the man steps back from the door and gestures for me to enter the room. I gulp as I walk to the door and look in the room. In the small wooden room are two chairs, both of which looked like they had been in use for a good deal of time. I gulp as I finally see the person sitting in the chair farthest away from the door._

_He __**is**__ younger than I am. He's also a bit shorter than I am, but that's not what gets my attention. His red eyes, almost hidden underneath a mess of short white hair, are both boring holes into my forehead. He's wearing a simple green tunic that looks homemade, and a very short pair of tight brown trousers._

_He's sitting rather unprofessionally, slouching on the chair as much as it allows. He has a large strap that goes from his right shoulder to his left side. I can very clearly see the hilt of a sword poking out from behind his shoulder. He must have attached the scabbard of the sword to the strap._

_Of course, I notice this all in just a few seconds. I know well not to stare at him for too long. Instead I enter the room, forcing myself to not shudder as the barkeep closes the door behind me. I don't stand still though. Instead I walk to the empty chair and take a seat. During the time I'm doing that, the boy doesn't say or do a thing. His eyes never leave my body. He clearly won't let me out of his sight for any amount of time._

_I have to say, I'm really impressed. Every time I make a move, his eyes immediately focus on whatever part of me is moving. He pays close attention to my hands, and I can tell he's taking me in. When I unconsciously grasp my cloak, he whips up his left arm and grabs the hilt of his sword. It's only when I focus and notice that I am holding my cloak that I stop, and I have to force back a sigh of relief as the boy's stance relaxes slightly._

_I have to be more careful. If I make a move that appears aggressive in any way he will obviously kill me. Just that unconscious act could have gotten me killed if he hadn't restrained himself. Once I'm sitting down, the boy addresses me. "Name's Noroi. Yours?"_

_I inwardly gulp at the question. I didn't want to tell him that, and while I had a fake alias planned out, I'm a bit wary of lying to him. As such, for the next five seconds I give him no answer, as I try to determine how to do this. To my surprise he pushes past it, although I can already sense his disapproval of me._

"_I do not like repeating myself, so listen well. First and foremost is this. I do not know why you want my services, and I do not __**want**__ to know. Don't try to tell me. Are we clear?"_

_I gave a clear 'yes', and he shifted his position slightly in the chair. "Good. Do you have a picture of my target?"_

_I nod to him, but as I hastily reach into my cloak he swiftly returns his hand to the hilt of his blade. I freeze in place, and after a few seconds he speaks curtly to me. "__**Slower**__,__or I __**will**__ slice you in half."_

_I flinch, but I do comply. It makes sense after all. Being an assassin, he probably knows just how quickly someone can kill someone else. He clearly has a hair trigger, and he sees me moving too quickly as dangerous on his part. So I deliberately take my time in grabbing out the picture, trying to be careful about not making any sudden moves. The entire time I do so, he has his hand on the hilt of his blade._

_I eventually grab out the picture and get it into view. His left hand slackens its grip on the sword, and as I hold the picture out he grabs it with his right hand. He quickly brings the picture to his face, and I inwardly gulp as I see his eyes widen in clear shock. I expected him to be shocked, but this is going to be the deciding factor. Is he going to refuse?_

_Noroi instead looks at me, and I watch as his eyes focus on mine. He's obviously suspicious of me now, even more-so than he had been before. "Is this a joke?"_

_I immediately shake my head no, and watch as he looks back at the picture once before looking at me. When I see the annoyance in his eyes, I shudder. Did I just sign my own death warrant? "Do you have the slightest idea what you are proposing?"_

_I nod, but as he frowns I cock my head to the side. "Are you saying you won't do it?"_

_Noroi gives me a fierce glare. As my life flashes before my eyes, he speaks to me. "I would have to be paid."_

_I frantically nod at that comment. "Of course, I have every intention of paying you! I-"_

_He cuts me off as he looks back at the picture. "Before the 'would you pay' is the '__**could**__ you pay'. I could do the job. I have no doubt in that. But I price my kills by the target, taking into account the difficulty of the job and the amount of attention my kill would bring. This would be a __**very**__ difficult job, and the amount of attention this would bring . . . every last person in__Astaria would be searching for the killer. You don't have the __**slightest**__ idea how much this would cost you. How could you __**possibly**__ expect to -"_

_I have heard enough. I reach up and undo the tie holding the cloak on me, and as it falls away Noroi immediately stops talking, instead looking at me in very clear shock. I grin as I show him the ring on my finger, signifying my presence in the social ladder. It takes a long time, but as I reach down for the cloak I decide to test the water. "Well, I was under the belief that the amount of gillah you would request would be __**very**__ much, likely enough to live in the lap of luxury for the rest of your life. It would be the last kill you would ever need to make, and -"_

_While I am much more confident at this point, the instant he says 'no' all of my bravado shattered. "__**W-what?**__ I can pay it, I assure you that! It would be no trouble on my end at all!"_

_Noroi looks at me, and I'm surprised to find he looks even __**more**__ suspicious of me. "We've now established the 'could you pay'. But that fact __**alone**__ makes me question the '__**would**__ you pay'. This is a __**very**__ dangerous game of power you're playing, I hope you realize. If you are willing to risk the fate of our **kingdom**__ like this, the very fact that I __**know**__ of your intentions makes me a big threat to you."_

_I sigh. So this is how it's going to be. He isn't going to agree because he thinks I'm going to betray him once he has the job done. Now that he has said it like that, it makes quite a bit of sense. But there was no way I would __**dare**__ try that, it was __**way**__ too risky. He will be a powerful ally if I can gain his trust. Likewise, he will be a very deadly foe if I anger him. Fortunately, I've already given myself a backup plan. "What if I paid you __**before**__ you did the job?"_

_Noroi actually __**flinches**__ before he eyes me again. "Well, I suppose that solves the 'could' and the 'would'. But . . . that would take some time, and quite a bit of careful planning. Any dolt with half a brain cell, even if drunk, can tell something big is up if bag after bag of gold is brought into the pub."_

_I nod, but give him a smile. "I would like to show you something, but to do that we would need to leave the pub."_

_Noroi looks surprised, but he soon stands up. "There is a way. Put on your cloak."_

_I nod, and as I put on my cloak I watch Noroi stand up. He picks up his chair, and to my surprise he sticks one of the chair legs into a hole on the floor. It's only when he forcefully pulls the chair back - causing a good portion of the floor that he had been sitting on to move - that I realize what he's doing. Soon he has picked up the large fake floor, revealing a large underground hole lit with torches. I can't help the grin that appeared on my face, and he soon returns a grin of his own._

_I follow him into the hole to find the ground has quite a steep slope at first. He soon walks over to the wall of what I now know is a large underground cavern and he put on a large cloak of his own. Once he has hidden himself underneath the cloak, he looks at me again. "There are three exits we can take. Where is this 'something' of yours?"_

_I tell him that it's in the forest to the west of the trail, heading south. He nods to me, and soon we are traveling through a narrow tunnel. It isn't long before we start heading upwards, and soon I'm surprised as we exit into a small canyon. I remember this canyon. I had passed by it not far before I had gotten to the pub._

_As such, I take the lead from here. After we exit the canyon, I have him follow me into the forest. I know the way well. I had taken it __**quite**__ a few times earlier today, and even yesterday. The 'something' is just far enough into the forest that a random passerby or explorer can't find it, and after about twenty minutes of us traveling I see Noroi's eyes open wide._

_I grin as he races towards the massive tree, or to be more specific, the massive pile of bags which surrounds the enormous tree. Even now, with the prize in sight, Noroi is still cautious. He checks several of the bags, choosing ones much deeper in the pile, some on the very edge, just enough of them that he can be certain I have not filled any of them with fake gold or simple stones._

_It is well over half an hour before he finally stops, and I smile as I see the smirk on his face. "You and I have similar tastes in hiding places. My hideout is not far from here. If you will help me carry the bags there, we can discuss the particulars while we do so."_

_I immediately cross my arms and raise an eyebrow. "Hold it. I understand you are still suspicious, but there comes a point that you may try to scam __**me**__."_

_While he flinches, I still grin towards him. "I want you to understand that I __**know**__ I'm taking a huge risk by putting this money out here. However, I have heard that you are an honest man in spite of your job. Give me your word that, in exchange for this money, you will assassinate my target."_

_I hold my hand out for him to shake, and soon Noroi chuckles as we shake hands. "You heard correctly. I give you my word that, in exchange for this money, I will assassinate your target."_

* * *

Update 11/7/12

I agree. Worked on the placement of the quote as well.


	2. A Conflict Of Interests

The deal has been made. But who is the target, and who is the victim?

Sorry this took so long, I couldn't find a good way to end this chapter for the longest time.

* * *

'The Assassin'

_I frown as I dip the tip of my feather in the ink bottle. That title just doesn't feel right. Perhaps it gives away too much of the story? I sigh as I lazily cross it out. This was so much harder than I thought it would be._

_No, I have to focus. I can't think of a good title, so . . . maybe I should write the tale before I name it. Yeah, that will be easier. With a sigh I put the tip of the feather to the parchment, only to find that the ink has already dried. I grumble a bit as I dip the feather tip into the ink bottle, then quickly move the feather onto the parchment and begin writing._

'A nobleman and his son, seven years of age, were traveling through the forest.'

_Was that line good? Yeah, it's simple, to the point, and gives the brief amount of information I want the reader to know. After checking it carefully for any spelling errors, I try to continue only to find the ink on the feather has dried. Damn this stupid fast-drying ink! Wasn't it supposed to stay good for a bit longer? I grumble more as I almost jab the bottle with the feather before I continue writing._

'Soon, the son asked his father 'do you hear that'?  
The father asked his son what he had heard.  
In replie, his son reached for a tree branch and shook it.  
'Tis only the birds', the man said, 'Landing upon the branches'_'_

_I smile as I reread it. It looks good so far. Maybe-_

"_Hey, prince!"_

_**Oh, for the love of god!**__ I grumble to myself as I look at the door. When the door opens, I'm not too surprised to find my slightly younger brother at the door. We both have the same blue eyes, but our hair colors differed. He has the same red hair that our mother has, and I have the same blonde hair that my father has._

_I don't even try to hide my annoyance at being interrupted. __**Every single time**__ I sit down to write, there is __**always**__ someone that interrupts! "What is it, Descon?"_

_I hardly notice as he gives me a kind smile. "Father wants to speak to you."_

_I let out a huff of anger as I slide my chair back so I can stand up. Of __**course**__, I use a bit too much force this time, and to my surprise the chair tips backwards. I don't even have time to flinch before I fall over with the chair, and Descon laughs as I curse._

_I soon get up, still grumbling as I push the chair back towards the table. Next I put out the candle next to the table, forgetting to wet my fingers beforehand with spit in preparation. I can't say it __**burned**__ me, but I do yelp from the contact between the flames and my own skin._

_Eventually I leave my tower-room, still grumbling as Descon leads me down the stairs. He smiles at me before asking how my story is coming along, to which I explain that I've got the plot all thought out. "It's not a long tale, but it pretty much involves a nobleman and his son who are walking through a forest. His soon keeps hearing things, but the father keeps brushing it off as being normal occurrences. Eventually though the __**father**__ hears something, and as he asks his son what it was he's answered by an assassin that's standing behind him. Right after answering, the assassin kills the father before watching the son run away in fright."_

_Descon listens silently to my explanation, and he soon surprises me when he asks what the moral of the story is. "Moral? Why does it need a moral? It's just a story, after all."_

_Descon laughs at that, taking me by surprise. "That's kind of funny, because I already hear the moral loud and clear. You should never assume it's 'just the wind' when the child keeps on hearing strange noises."_

_In spite of my irritation, I can't help but grin at that. He __**does**__ have a point there . . . "Yeah, but I highly doubt that's a real life lesson."_

_The two of us continue to speak as we traverse through the castle. When we are out of the tower, I decide to change the subject. "So what does he want to talk about?"_

_Descon gives me an amused grin. I almost immediately cursed. He didn't have to say anything. "How many times do I have to tell him!? I just . . . we all know I'm not cut out to be a king. I know that whole 'first-born' tradition and all, but __**honestly**__ . . . I just, it's not what I want to do."_

_As he always does, Descon simply gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Everyone in the castle knows that, Rehi. You've made that obvious pretty much since you learned what your heritage is. And you know Ehring and I are on your side."_

_I can't help but smile to that. "If I can't get this through father's thick skull . . . I just, both you and Ehring could do the job a hundred times better than I could. If only I had had the sense to be born __**last**__ . . ."_

_Descon smiles at me, but both of us turn when we hear another person telling us to wait. I turn, as does Descon, to see an older teenager wearing a cloak rushing over to us. I grin when I recognize him as my youngest brother. "Ehring, good morning."_

_Unlike me, Descon doesn't happily greet him. Instead, he raises an eyebrow. "And just __**where**__ have you been? You gave your servant a heart attack this morning! He went to wake you up and you weren't even in bed!"_

_I grin as Ehring shrugs. I can see his rosy cheeks, there's no doubt in my mind about where he had been. "Were you drinking again?"_

_Ehring shakes his head no, but his rapidly reddening face tells me otherwise. I only chuckle. Being the third-born, not much was going to be expected of Ehring, and he loved causing trouble because of it. Unlike Descon, who is going to end up as my advisor, Ehring would have to be something like __**Descon's**__ advisor. In truth, I'm a bit jealous of him having this kind of freedom. He certainly has his fair share of our father's temper directed at him, but even then Ehring still has so much more freedom than I do._

_It's not long before the three of us are walking through the hallways side by side. I grin as I realize Ehring certainly __**had**__ been drinking. While he isn't so inebriated that his voice is that affected, he isn't doing too great at walking in a straight line. I can see the disapproval in Descon's eyes at Ehring, and soon he just can't stay quiet any more. "Ehring, do you realize how __**undignified**__ that is? Quit stumbling around like a drunken peasant and walk like the royalty we are!"_

_Ehring's response, consisting of a deliberate hiccup and a much more exaggerated stumbling motion, gets me to laugh. He loves to set Descon off. Of course Descon's not as entertained as I am, and soon he tries to take Ehring by the arm in what I'm guessing is an attempt to make him stop stumbling around. Ehring's too crafty for him though, and he times one of his 'sways' so he just slips out of Descon's grasp._

_Ultimately, it's not long before Descon's fuming in anger as Ehring slips out of his grasp again and again. But by this time there's not much he can do. We're almost to the throne room now, so I tap Ehring on the shoulder and tell him that it really __**is**__ time to get serious now. Ehring immediately smiles at me as he says alright and stops swaying. I can almost __**feel**__ the rage emanating from Descon._

_But of course, he doesn't have time to say anything. We all turn the corner, and the large doors to the throne come into view, guarded by two soldiers in full-body armor. As we get close to the door, their helmets turn in our direction and the one on the left speaks._

"_Prince Rehi and his brothers, you may enter the -"_

_I grin as I interrupt him. "First off, if you're going to address me by name, you should use theirs too. This one is my brother Descon, this one is my brother Ehring. Second,__congratulations on your first day as a knight Silban."_

_I can't help the smile that comes to my face when the guard jumps. "H-how in the __**blazes**__ . . . I-I'm even wearing the standard armor, and I-I've never even spoken to you before."_

_I laugh as the other guard immediately looks at Silban. "Get used to it Silban. He's got the guard schedule memorized better than __**we**__ do."_

_That gets me to smile. "While, I wouldn't say I've got it memorized __**better**__ than you do, Ikino."_

_Ikino laughs before he tells Silban to stand at attention. As Ehring, Descon, and I enter the throne room I chuckle at Silban's confusion. But as I see the large room, with the stairs at the end that led to the throne, my smile is wiped off of my face when I see father looking at us. My father is sitting upon his throne, giving us a look as if we do not meet his expectations. However, he simply motions for us to walk towards him._

_I'm getting sick of these meetings. It's obviously time for another lecture, another one of the 'you're first born, so you have to be king' things again. I really can't care less that I just so happened to be the first one born, that did __**not**__ change the fact that I'm just not cut out to be king. Once I reach the steps up to the throne, I speak._

_Or, I try to. Before I can say anything Ehring abruptly rams me in the shoulder, pushing me into Descon with enough force that both Descon and I fall over. As we land I almost feel my heart stop when Ehring cries out in pain, and once I get my bearings I can't believe the scene before me._

_There's a man standing behind where I had just been standing. He has a vicious scar that runs down the side of his face, and his hand is on the hilt of a sword. The blade of that sword is currently hidden from view by Ehring's cloak, and I could see Ehring trembling. Ehring just saved my life. I can only assume - since the blade of the assassin's sword is still hidden from my view - that Ehring was seriously injured as a result. And yet, father shows absolutely no surprise as he looks at the man. "Well?"_

_At that the man with the scar gives a slight smirk and lifts the sword away from Ehring. Now that I can see it, I'm completely startled to see that it's a wooden sword that we use to spar with each other. It would likely have had difficulty cutting through butter. As I try to comprehend what I'm seeing the man nods towards Ehring. "Out of the three of them, this one is the only one that noticed me in time. If this had been a real assassination, he would have just saved their lives at the cost of his own."_

_Both Descon and I are breathing heavily as the man nods towards us with a scowl on his face. "What is more, they both froze up when aware of the situation. Even with this one's sacrifice it would have been no trouble to kill them."_

_It's only when father shakes his head that I finally realize this was set up beforehand. As Descon and I get to our feet, the man addresses us. "Your father has asked me to teach you how __**not**__ to die at the hands of an assassin."_

_I flinch. As Descon asks why in the world an assassin would choose to do that, I look at father. I'm not sure what to think. While I never want to talk about this subject in particular, I have to admit that at least it's something that might actually be important to me. I see our father grin as he answers Descon's question for the man. "There are several reasons this man would choose to teach you, but the most important one to him is that this is the alternative to being beheaded for attempting to assassinate the king."_

_That gets me to stare at my father. "Attempted to - he tried to __**kill**__ you? When did this -"_

_Father doesn't even wait for me to finish the question. He must have been expecting it. "About three hours ago, when it was still dark out."_

_That only makes me more startled. I look at the assassin but he simply gives a shrug. "I just wasn't careful enough in the approach. Now I -"_

_This time it's Ehring that interrupts. "But why should we trust you? You tried to kill our father! We should be treating you as an enemy!"_

_Descon and I immediately look at Ehring. Descon says almost exactly what I'm thinking. "__**What are you doing, you idiot!?**__ Don't piss him off!"_

_But to our surprise, the man actually __**laughs**__. Once he's done, he grins at Descon and I. "I'm not offended. The number one rule when it comes to assassins, no matter if you're the client, the assassin, or the target, is that __**you can never be too careful**__."_

_I don't know what to say. Father grins at me before he nods to the man, and the man nods back before telling the three of us that he is going to give us the basics first. But by this time I'm starting to snap out of my shock and I ask to speak to my father out of earshot. Soon the man, Ehring, and Descon are all standing by the doors into the room, and I walk up to the throne and whisper to father so they can't hear. "This is it? This is what you wanted to see me for?"_

_Father smiles as he nods to me. "Rehi, this is a compromise. I can't teach you how to be king, because you don't want to learn. But you should know that just the fact that you are the first-born puts you in danger. Sooner or later, assassins will come for you. And who knows how to stop an assassin better than another assassin?"_

_My face flushes in anger. "I told you already father, I wouldn't be a good king. This is just another attempt to 'teach' me, isn't it!?"_

_I gnash my teeth when father's smile broadens. "Yes, but are you truly going to pass this up? You're working on your little story about an assassin, are you not? What better way to get inside an assassin's head than to listen to one for an entire __**day**__?"_

_What . . . how? I can't believe it. How does he __**know? **__I hadn't told him what the story was about! I just got the idea for it this morning! "H-how . . ."_

_Father grins before he nods towards the doors. When I look over there, the assassin has this smug little smirk on his face. "Just so you know, you spelt 'reply' wrong. It ends with a 'y' instead of 'ie'."_

_What? But . . . "How long was he following us!?"_

_Father laughs as the assassin's smirk grows a little broader. "Until you ran into your drunken brother, I was following you. At that point I took a quicker way to the throne, where I set up at the door for you to enter."_

_I cringe, but father soon motions for me to lean in close. When I do, his look turns serious. "Rehi, last night a pretty sizable chunk of our wealth went missing. We are not sure on what happened to it, but it was a __**lot. **__Enough, in fact, to likely convince an assassin to take the life of a royalty. Someone within our family is being targeted. It's likely me, but there's a small chance it could be one of you three. I'm not taking __**any**__ chances."_

_~Noroi~_

_I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. __**Whiskey Girl!?**__ I thought he had died . . ._

_I frown as I continue to watch through the castle window. This would get interesting. I'm too far away to hear what they are saying, but I'm a good lip reader even from this distance. Good enough to get the basics of what's going on down there._

_How bizarre. This king almost got murdered by Whiskey Girl, yet he's willing to put that aside and have Whiskey Girl teach his boys how to think like an assassin. It seemed too coincidental that, just after the night I accept a job from someone he knows well, he's suddenly having an assassin test his children. He knows something's up._

_I'm actually impressed at how well my client is keeping up his charade. He's shaken, but that's a believable reaction after a fight-or-flight moment that he had just had. But he's made a huge mistake by paying with royal money. Of __**course**__ the king would realize something is up._

_What do I do now? I hadn't expected the king to catch on before I even went for the target. He'll be very suspicious now, it will be even harder to get away unscathed. Security will be tight, and something tells me that the king will be hard to fool when he's so unsettled. Following that line of logic, I should bide my time and wait for the castle to calm down._

_But what about my client? He can't keep up the charade forever. And each passing day will allow my target to be trained better and better. Right now is when he's most vulnerable. What's more, Whiskey Girl knows as well as I do how to tell when someone's a client. No, I can't wait. My client may be skilled with deception, but he can't fool Whiskey Girl for long._

_But then again, I could always talk with my client and explain that I have deemed the job too dangerous. That would be the safest way to get myself out of this situation. But that doesn't sit well with me. I've already given my word, and besides . . . I know I can do it._

_Either way, I have to leave this current spot. I've already had to duck out of sight now twice, both times when Whiskey Girl looked up here. If it was __**anyone**__ but him, I would probably __**let**__ myself be seen to lower their expectations of me. But not Whiskey Girl. He'd recognize me immediately, and he wouldn't underestimate me. _

_And as I get down from that window I reach my answer. I will not abandon my client. But I need to get this job done as quickly as I can. The target had been in a nearby tower before, hadn't he? What had he been writing? I decide to find out, and I casually begin climbing the rocky side of the castle. When I get to a nearby window I look in and, when I deem it safe, I slip into the castle._

_I don't ever go to the ground. I watch the soldiers patrolling the hallway carefully, knowing that if something went wrong, I'd find myself against them. I soon climb across the ceiling, knowing full well that people never look up. But I also know I have to hurry. This trick was __**taught**__ to me by Whiskey Girl, so it would be safe to say he wouldn't be fooled._

_Fortunately, it doesn't take long to reach the tower. I stealthily climb the stairs, alert for the sound of anyone coming down. Soon I reach the room the prince had been in, and after seeing the door closed I slip in the room through the window instead. From here I can easily see what he has been doing, and I'm rather amused to see he's trying to write a story._

_I slip into the room and look at the scroll, greatly amused when I realize how little he has written on it. And as I look at it, an idea strikes my head on how I could maneuver the boy into position. With a slight grin on my face I sit down and dip the quill into the ink bottle. There was no telling how much time I had. I would have to set this up quickly._

* * *

Some people may be wondering why Prince Rehi is the way he is. I was looking for someone to model his personality off of, someone who was unique_. _And I got my answer when I looked in the mirror. Yes, that's right. Prince Rehi is based off of me. Every act he does - from complaining about the fast-drying ink all the way to memorizing the guard's schedule for no real reason - is almost exactly how I would act in his shoes. The thinking that he put into HIS short story is the same crude style that I use when I'm first making an idea for a story. If you think I'm strange, that's your own opinion (*cough* jerk *cough*)

By the way, don't expect this story to rival We Four Freaks in chapters. This is a short story I'm making because I liked the plot idea I had for it :)


	3. The Fool

Everything is falling into place. But what will happen now? Will Noroi get his target? What is his plan? Is there any hope for prince Rehi?

* * *

"_So, the basics of being an assassin are -"_

_I flinch as the man looks at me, obviously annoyed. "I am not __**making**__ you an assassin, prince Rehi. I am telling you what an assassin __**never**__ wants to face."_

_Yes, but what good does that do me for my story!? I almost rip my hair out in frustration and annoyance. "I understand that! But just how would an assassin sneak up on me? Let's say that I was walking down a path and -"_

_I cringe when the man shakes his head. "Just like that character in your 'story'? Don't you get it? I am not being paid to help you with a __**hobby**__ of yours. I'm trying to defend you from the __**real thing!**__"_

_This is getting me nowhere. Eventually I tell him that I want to take a five minute break, and he surprises me by asking me what he's told us. I give a smartass reply, partially to hide the fact that I wasn't paying any attention. "What, don't __**you**__ remember?"_

_He's not amused. He soon turns to look to my brothers, his voice tinged with irritation. "What about you two? What have I explained to you two that the __**prince**__ has clearly not been paying attention to?"_

_Ehring immediately answers, looking rather amused. "First rule is that you can never be too careful."_

_To my annoyance Descon smiles as he takes over. "Second rule, __**never**__ go off alone. The more people with you at all times, the better."_

_I gnash my teeth as Ehring begins to state a third rule. "__**Okay, I get it!**__ But I'll listen better once I write down this idea I have, okay? Otherwise it's just going to be stuck in my head until I __**can**__ write it!"_

_To my relief the man sighs, obviously relenting. "Very well - __**but**__, we're all going up there with you. You have five minutes to write down what you need, and if I find that it does not help you listen then it will be the __**only**__ time I allow this."_

_I gnash my teeth as I agree. Hopefully I'll be able to come up with a compromise so I can work on the story without everyone peeking over my shoulder. Soon we're headed to the tower, during which the man startles me when he speaks up. "I'm worried."_

_Those two words provoke much more of a reaction from me and my brothers than the fake assassination the man had pulled off earlier. As we all look at him in shock the man looks at a nearby window. "Quite a few assassins will tail their target until their target is in a good position to kill. All three of you are with me, yet I haven't seen any sign of us being tailed."_

_My heart catches in my throat. "Do you think they're after father?"_

_To my surprise the assassin shakes his head no. "It's a possibility, but I'm not worried about him. I can assure you that he can take care of himself. There are two much more likely possibilities. One, the assassin hasn't found their target. Two, the assassin's not following because he knows I would see him. And if number two is correct, that means the assassin knows who I am. If that's true, and they know I'm __**trying**__ to teach their target how to be safe, they're going to take the first opportunity they have to kill the target."_

_I frown. This guy is __**really**__ paranoid. Was that some long-term psychological effect to being an assassin? Could I include that in my story? I don't know for sure. But still . . . I do have to admit that the man has a point. An assassin would probably want to attack __**before**__ the target knew how to watch for them._

_Not that I was worried at all. My writing room is in a __**tower. **__A __**TOWER**__. So long as an assassin can't scurry up a building made of stone blocks like a spider, the staircase was the only way up and down. Even if they could get up there without someone noticing, the assassin would have no escape route. It would be suicidal for an assassin to go for the kill. I smile as I think about how smart I am to have chosen this tower._

_When we do get to the tower, I'm surprised when the man chooses to lead the way up. As he does he tells Ehring to watch the windows, which annoys me a little bit. Just how paranoid can this man be? When we finally __**do **__reach my room I'm completely outraged when the man puts his hand on the door handle. He seems rather surprised when I tell him to knock it off, but immediately asks what I mean._

"'_**What do I mean!?' **__We are __**in a tower**__ with the only way down being the stairs! If you __**really**__ think that there is an assassin tailing __**me**__ in specific, shouldn't you be watching the __**stairs!?**__ Now just give me __**five minutes**__ alone with my thoughts! Stand at the door if you want to, but there's no reason you need to enter __**my**__ room!"_

_To my surprise he doesn't rebuke me. Indeed, he almost looks dumbstruck. Before long he suddenly snaps out of his shock and eyes me curiously. "I see why your father expects you to be king. So you __**did **__put some thought into this. Very well, we will stand out here. But when those five minutes are up I am kicking the door open no matter what you say, understood?"_

_I nod as I open my door, making certain to slam it shut. As I storm over to my desk I hear the man sigh before he starts talking to my brothers. Good, that should keep his attention for . . ._

_What is this? I frown as I look over the scroll I had been writing on before. I can see where I made my first few lines of the story, but . . . there's more writing underneath it. It's not my handwriting, it's much neater and the letters are smaller. And above where I made and crossed out the title I was going to give the story there is a new title written._

'The Fool'  
Written by Prince Rehi of Astaria  
Co-written by Mary

_What the __**hell?**__ Who was 'Mary'? I frown as I look at the writing underneath it, mumbling it out loud as I read it._

A nobleman and his son, seven years of age, were traveling through the forest._  
_Soon, the son asked his father 'do you hear that?'  
The father asked his son what he had heard.  
In -replie- reply his son reached for a tree branch and shook it.  
'Tis only the birds', the man said, 'Landing upon the branches'

"Oh" said the son, and for the next few minutes the two of them were silent.  
Soon the son again asked "do you hear that?"  
This time the son tapped the ground with his feet.  
"Tis only our footsteps" said the man.

It was not long before the son asked his question yet again.  
The nobleman decided he had had enough.  
He told his son to stop fretting over every last sound he heard.  
But as his son blushed, the man heard a strange sound from behind him.

This time it was the father who asked the question. "Did you hear that?"  
While his son looked up at him the man paled as he heard a voice whisper into his ear.  
"Tis only the blade", said the assassin

_I pale as I hear a voice whisper into __**my**__ ear, finishing the sentence. "Slicing off your head."_

_I turn around to look at the person behind me, but I'm not fast enough. All I see is the blade entering my vision, aimed for my neck. I don't even have time to scream._

_~Ehring~_

_I flinch as I hear a slight thump from inside Rehi's room. The man obviously hears it too, and he immediately turns around and opens the door a crack before looking in. With a loud curse the man quickly kicks open the door, and when I look in I scream as I see Rehi's body slumped in his chair. There was only a bloody stump on his neck where his head had just moments ago been attached. "__**REHI!**__"_

_The man and I quickly enter the room, and as the man races over to the window I race over to my brother's corpse. But long before I can recover from the shock of the situation the man turns and looks at us. "__**The stairs, keep an eye on the stairway!**__"_

_I only just turn in time to see a figure run out of view down the stairs. My blood boils when I try to sprint after him, but to my shock the man grabs the back of my shirt and drags me back. "No! We need to stick together, you me and . . . Descon?"_

_Both me and the man immediately look around, and I'm very alarmed when I realize Descon's not in the room. But to my shock the man gives a cruel sneer as he tells me to follow him down the tower. "We need to tell the king about this."_

_It's not long before he and I are racing down the steps and into the hallway. My thoughts are racing. Rehi was dead, and Descon was missing. Had the assassin got him too!?__That thought made me run all the quicker, and it sure wasn't long before the man and I reached the throne room, racing past the startled guards and pushing the doors open._

_I sigh in relief when I see Descon standing before the throne, speaking frantically to our father. "-and the next thing we know his __**corpse**__ was slumped in his chair!"_

_The man next to me seems very startled, but he soon looks from me to Descon, still seeming confused. "I thought for __**sure**__ . . ."_

_Before he can say any more, father speaks to us. "Is it true? Has Rehi been killed?"_

_The man next to me nods solemnly. "Your majesty, I -"_

_Father interrupts the man by clearing his throat. "I know better than anyone how stubborn Rehi can get. I will not hold it against you. Rehi . . ."_

_I'm shocked when a tear comes from our father's eyes, but to my surprise Descon breaks the silence. "I . . . father, do you mind if I take a walk? I just . . ."_

_Our father told Descon that he could, and I watch as Descon walks past me with tears in his eyes. I couldn't blame him, I wanted to cry too. Rehi was dead. For a few minutes no one speaks. But I'm startled when father suddenly pulled himself together. "Do you know who did it?"_

_I'm partway through shaking my head no when the man next to me sighs. "I know the assassin, and I __**thought**__ I knew the client. Now I'm not so sure about the client."_

_I immediately look at the man. "What? Then who did it?"_

_As father tells me to be quiet the man walks forwards. "He left his codename on the scroll that your son was writing the story on. Mary. What was more he let most of the scroll get covered in blood. I can tell you with certainty that the assassin was Bloody Mary."_

_I don't understand the slight smirk my father gives the man. "I see. And who did you __**think**__ the client was before?"_

"_Descon."_

_The news hits me like a hammer, but as I'm reeling in shock the man continues to speak. "He showed several signs of being a client, and I noticed him eyeing Rehi strangely several times. But . . . I'm just not sure anymore. I thought he had run off to speak to the assassin, yet he actually came here and told you about what had happened."_

_Our father frowns as he leans forwards. "I wouldn't be surprised to find it was Descon. After all, Descon is the next in line. That one fact makes him suspicious. What's more, the deal must have been made last night. While Ehring __**did**__ sneak out of the castle, he came back drunk."_

_I flinch as the man immediately looks at me. "That only makes him more suspicious, considering our hiring process is through a pub."_

"_In theory, yes. But I've already contacted Ehring's favorite pub to drink at, and they confirmed that Ehring was there the entire night."_

_What? "Wait, how do you know my favorite pub? I've never told you -"_

_Father looks at me with amusement. "It's right down the main road. You could get back to the castle easily no matter __**how**__ drunk you get. But that's not the point. The point is that you were at Eve's Pub the entire night, __**not**__ the Witch's Brew, where Whiskey Girl here has informed me he used to work."_

_Uh, okay - wait, __**WHAT!? **__"'Whiskey Girl'?"_

_The man immediately looks at me, seeming rather amused. "You don't actually think we use our real names, do you? In order to hire an assassin at Witch's Brew, you have to ask for 'special services'. Each one of us has a codename that can pass for the nickname of a prostitute. Once you ask for special services, you say that you prefer the one known only as, and then you give our codename. After that the bartender asks you a coded question, and you have to give him a coded answer. My coded question was 'she's a bit hammered at the moment', to which you would reply 'That's how I like her.'"_

_While I'm still startled that the man chose __**that**__ as his nickname, father clears his throat. "__**Anyways**__, I also have it reported that Descon slipped out of the castle sometime last night, but he got back in bed before the sun rose. What's more Descon is outside 'taking a walk' at the moment. That seems iffy to me. He's the type of person to seek comfort when something upsets him. Until proven otherwise, I'm going to assume __**he's**__ the one that hired the assassin. I want the two of you to follow him and see where he goes."_

* * *

Some of you may be wondering about something. If Rehi is based off of me, why would I have him killed by having him stupidly read his mysteriously finished story instead of wonder who Mary was? Surely I must have felt some attachment to him, so why would I let him die in such a humiliating way? The answer is that I based his actions off of what I would likely have done. I never said I make the best decisions, did I? I already know that if an assassin was after me I would be SCREWED. I can't say for sure I'd be THAT stupid, but looking back at my actions in my past I can say I wouldn't have died honorably. I would have died screaming.

ANYWAYS, will Whiskey Girl and Ehring find anything? Has Noroi covered up his tracks? Find out in the next chapter!


	4. The Mistake

The job is done. The prince has died. But what happens next? What does Noroi do now that he has his reward and has killed the target?

* * *

_It's even colder than was last night. With a sigh I clutch my cloak tighter. I'm a bit surprised when a single snowflake falls in front of my face, but when I look up I see it's definitely not the only one. I hadn't expected it to snow today. Is the sky mourning my brother?_

_Eventually I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. The deed has been done, I just . . . I never imagined how hard it would be to see Rehi's corpse. I-I didn't expect to feel so guilt-ridden. Even if I wasn't the one who killed him, I'm undeniably responsible for his death. _

_No, I have to stop thinking like that. With a sigh I walk into the forest in front of me. Noroi told me that he would like a bit of help getting the money out of the clearing and into a nearby hiding place of his. As we agreed, it has to be done quickly. The kingdom was going to go on a man hunt now, and if they searched the forest it wouldn't be too hard for them to find the gold. As Noroi had told me, he had spent the night diligently counting the number of bags, and if any of them were lost he expected me to replace them._

_The walk to the clearing doesn't take long, perhaps ten minutes or so. During that time I'm surprised just how hard it is to keep from crying. Rehi . . . no, I shouldn't feel like this. This was better than just watching Rehi burn the entire kingdom to the ground. Rehi was never fit to be king. Even __**Ehring**__ would be better. But looking at it from a purely logical standpoint, I'm the one that is clearly destined to take the throne. I am proper, I control my temper better than them and I understand how to do the political work a king inevitably has to do._

_I reached the clearing while asking myself a question. I don't remember what the question was, because a split-second glance into the clearing stops me in my tracks and makes my blood run cold. No. __**No!**__ Wh-what are __**knights **__doing here!? This is bad. There are quite a few wagons in the clearing as well, each one being loaded up with the bags of gold. Well, almost all of them. In one wagon - a special wagon that could be likened to a horse-drawn __**cage**__ - is an unconscious Noroi._

_How? Did they find him here and attack him? No, that can't be it. They're almost done loading the bags. That means they've been at this for quite some time. My brother only died twenty or so minutes ago. Noroi must have been ambushed here when he came back._

_Wait, who are those three people? They're not guards since they don't wear any armor, but they're standing around Noroi's cage. I've never seen them before. One is a rather scrawny-looking man. He's obviously a nobleman from his clothing. There's a rapier holstered at his side. He's standing to the right of Noroi's cage. Standing to the left of Noroi's cage is a brute of a man. He's got to be six and a half feet tall at least, and he's got the biggest muscles I've ever seen. There's an enormous club hefted over his shoulder that is __**clearly**__ his weapon of choice. Then standing in front of Noroi's cage is a man who's about halfway in-between the other two. I'd describe him as an average person, and he has a two-handed sword strapped to his waist._

_I have to focus. I'm currently looking at the clearing and I don't think they've noticed me yet. If they find me here they'll probably figure out that I hired Noroi solely from the fact that I know where this clearing is. But at the same time, I'm still a good liar._

_Wait, what the hell? The scrawny nobleman's no longer near Noroi's cage. In fact . . . I can't figure out where he went. Unfortunately for me, I learn the answer when I hear a calm voice in my ear. "Well, if it isn't the second-born! Actually, I guess I should be calling you the prince now."_

_I immediately turn to find the nobleman leaning against a tree that had been behind me. Crap, he caught me! No, I have to calm down. I have to act ignorant to the situation. "What the hell's going on? Why are all of those bags of gold here?"_

_It's . . . working? The man looks rather surprised, but he soon walks into view of the clearing. I immediately follow him, and to my surprise he actually starts explaining. Did he really fall for it? "A little bit ago, the Witch's Brew got a visitor from a few messengers of the king. They explained that Prince Rehi was being targeted, and as such wanted to make me, Rum, and Tequila an offer."_

_Wait, what? "Rum and Tequila? Is that the new way to say you all had a drink?"_

_I flinch when my comment gets a bout of laughter from the nobleman, the brute, and the average-looking man. The nobleman then points at the average man. "His codename's Tequila. The big one's Rum Dumb, but us assassins just call him Rum. I'm Red Wine, although you can call me Red or Wine if you'd prefer."_

_Wait, they were __**all**__ assassins!? Assassins from the Witch's Brew . . . that's the name of the bar I hired Noroi at! I see. As our uh . . . 'teacher' taught us, the more people looking for the assassin, the harder it is for the assassin to get past. What's more, these three assassins would know Noroi's tricks. Noroi never stood a chance against them. Red Wine continues speaking, and I immediately begin paying more attention. "Our orders were simple. In exchange for catching the assassin after Prince Rehi - preferably __**before**__ Rehi was killed, but we failed that one - we all get an even share of the reward money the assassin was supposed to be paid."_

_Wow. Did dad really go that far for Rehi's safety? Wait, I have to focus. I have to pretend I don't know Noroi. As such I nod at the cage Noroi's in. "So he's . . ."_

_It works. Red Wine smiles as he nods to me. "We caught him when he entered the forest. He put up one hell of a fight, but we eventually knocked him out. All that's left for us is for the king to make it official that the money is ours. Nothing personal, Bloody Mary."_

_I flinch when I see that Noroi's sitting up. In spite of the situation, he actually __**smirks**__ at Red Wine. "I call bullshit about it not being personal."_

_At this Noroi holds up his left hand, and I'm startled to find it's completely bandaged. There's a pretty nasty red spot right on his palm, and when Noroi turns his hand I see a matching spot on the back. Did something go __**through **__his hand!? Noroi obviously realized what I'm doing, and to my surprise he doesn't rat me out. Instead he continues to speak to Red Wine. "I saw the way you grinned when you stabbed my hand. Is this about me beheading that one client you had a few months ago?"_

_I'm left flabbergasted as Red Wine actually __**laughs**__. I didn't think Noroi had anyone he was friendly with. Soon Red stops laughing and smiles at Noroi. "I would have preferred you hadn't done that, or at least that you had waited until he had paid me, but I'll also admit that client was asking for it."_

"_Hey, is this where the party is?"_

_I immediately turn around, startled to find Ehring and the other assassin standing at the edge of the clearing. I flinch again when all of the assassins - even __**Noroi**__ - give the assassin a hearty greeting. "__**We thought you were DEAD, Whiskey Girl!**__"_

_Wait, 'Whiskey Girl'? Why the hell did they all have such weird codenames? Either way, Whiskey Girl gave the other assassins a mocking glare. "Oh, come now. Do you __**all**__ think I'm that weak?"_

_To my amusement all of the other assassins immediately say 'yes' in a teasing tone. While Whiskey Girl chuckles, I'm taken aback when Ehring marches right up to me and stares me straight in the eye. Does he know? It takes a bit for me to get my voice, but I eventually ask him what he's staring at me for._

"_I want an honest answer from you, Descon. Are you the one that hired the assassin?"_

_I have to stay calm. I glare at my brother, making sure to maintain eye contact. He seems rather surprised as I snap at him. "How dare you? Of course I didn't hire the assassin! Rehi was our __**brother**__. I can't __**believe**__ you have the gall to think I would have him murdered!"_

_It works. I inwardly grin as he backs up, obviously flustered. "Descon . . . I'm sorry, I just . . ."_

_I glare at him for a few more seconds before I turn around. The intention was for me to storm out of the clearing, still pretending to be pissed, and back to the castle. But I don't get more than two feet before I froze in place. Time seems to slow down as I look down at my chest, and at the long blade protruding from it. Did he just . . ._

"_Did you know, Descon?"_

_I can only turn my head to look behind me, and I'm deeply startled to see the rage in Ehring's eyes. I look a little farther down, at the sword in Ehring's hands. I can see the blade heads in my direction, and I can see the other end protruding from my chest, but . . . I don't understand. I can't put it together in my head. Why did he . . . __**how**__ did he . . ._

"_Rehi and I both knew something you don't Descon. It's sad too, considering you're the one that always does it."_

_What is he __**talking **__about? There are tears in Ehring's eyes, and as he speaks his voice is starting to shake. "We always laughed when father was able to see through your lies. It irked you to no end. You could never figure out what always gave you away. But Rehi and I, we both know it. He's the one that hinted it to me, and after testing it I was startled to find it was true. I just asked you the question in a way that you couldn't lie to me without me knowing. And you just lied."_

"_H-how?"_

_That's all I can say. How . . . how does he know I lied? My act was __**perfect!**__ What did I do that gave me away!? My brother lets out a weak chuckle before he speaks in a whisper. "_You have this weird habit of staring at someone's nose if you tell the truth. When you lie to someone Descon,you always stare at their eyes. And you just looked me straight in the eye._"_

* * *

Noroi has been captured and Descon has been caught! Will Noroi get away?

Originally this was going to be only half of a chapter, but after looking at its length I was surprised to see just how much is actually here. So I split it into two full chapters.


	5. A New Deal

Noroi has lost. His gold is being taken right out from underneath his nose. Will he survive? Or is this his last kill?

* * *

_I was wondering why Descon was so fascinated with my nose. Kind of nice to know that meant he was telling the truth, though. I can't help the grin that comes to my face as Descon continues to stutter. It's not entirely out of shock, though that's certainly a factor. Ehring had pierced one of Descon's lungs, and now Descon was starting to have trouble breathing._

_To my amusement Descon then looks at me, a plea for help in his eyes. I almost laugh. I have no way to help him and I have no intention of trying. It's thanks to him that I'm in this mess, but . . . I do guess that he did honestly try his best. It took a brother that knew what Descon didn't know to catch him in the act. Indeed, I had actually been impressed at how well he had been acting._

_Eventually Ehring removes the sword, and as Descon struggles to breathe Ehring thrusts his sword right into Descon's heart. It's like blowing out a candle flame. I sigh as the corpse of the second-born hits the ground. I hate seeing a client die, especially when it concerns the fact that I could have gotten the money back in a future meeting._

_But I don't have long to think about that. Eventually Whiskey Girl brings the attention to me, teasingly asking me how I got caught. While I'm annoyed at that, what Red Wine says surprises me. "He almost got away, actually. For just a moment I sincerely believed he was going to pull it off. If he had been fully rested, he probably would have managed to kill at __**least**__ one of us."_

_I can't help the look of shock I give Red Wine. He __**never**__ compliments me like that. The rest of the assassins look at him as well, with Tequila even mentioning that it felt so strange to hear Red Wine say that. However, we all look up as one of the knights says they're finally done. It isn't long before all the wagons are moving._

_In spite of the situation, I can't help the grin that comes to my face. From the dark glare Ehring gives me, I can tell that he sees me grinning. While he demands to know if I'm mocking him I don't say anything. That really sets him off, which I find quite amusing. Soon he snaps at me again. I still don't reply._

_That's pretty much the whole ride to the castle. He keeps trying to figure out why I'm grinning, and I never give him the answer. As the castle doors open wide and the wagon I'm trapped in enters the castle, I notice several castle guards glaring at me. It doesn't bother me._

"_You look awfully smug for someone who's about to be executed."_

_I grin at Red Wine as the throne room's doors open. Unlike Ehring, Red Wine immediately grins back. "If you actually manage to get out of this one . . . hell, I don't know if I'd be impressed or if I would be pissed."_

_We don't get to say anything more to each other. At that moment we enter the king's throne room, and as the wagon holding me comes to a stop in front of the throne I focus on the father of my most recent target._

_One look at his face tells me that he's not going to hire me like he did with Whiskey Girl. Not that I was expecting him to. People tended to take it personally when a family member was killed, at least when they weren't the one making the order. The man gave me a very stern look before he spoke. "So you're Bloody Mary."_

_**That**__ wipes the grin off of my face. "Whiskey Girl, you know what I think about you so casually giving away my codename. That name is only required for possible clients."_

_While the king raises an eyebrow, Whiskey lets out a chuckle. "Oh, boo-hoo Noroi. That's what you get for leaving your codename at the crime. You know why we use codenames. It becomes our new identities, so people won't recognize our names and target our families."_

_While I ask '__**what**__ family?' our conversation is interrupted by the king. "I consider myself an even-tempered man that can look at the situation without allowing my emotions to tamper my decisions. Fortunately for me, killing the prince is more than enough reason to be executed. Make no mistake, Noroi. In just a few hours you __**will**__ die."_

_I let myself grin at the man. It clearly unsettles him. He realizes right away what I'm thinking. "You can't really think you're going to get out of this. What can you offer me that would get you out of there?"_

_My grin widens. This was exactly what I wanted to talk to him about. I still have one trick left to play. "What about your life? What if I told you my death would easily lead to yours? After all, assassins don't like it when they are cheated. Do you really want to piss off __**three**__of them?"_

_He's clearly pissed at that. He thinks I'm insulting him. Which in a way, I suppose I am. But as he speaks, I see Red Wine frown and look towards the bags. "I am an honorable man, Noroi. They will get the gold they have been promised. You have nothing. Take him to the guillotine."_

_The knights immediately try to lead the horses. However I grin when Red Wine immediately demands the knights to halt. While the king, the knights, and Ehring are obviously startled Red Wine is only focused on me. "What do you mean 'cheated'?"_

_He quickly glances at the bags on the other wagons, and I immediately give him a smirk. "Hmm, how do I explain it . . . well, do you remember that girl you fell in love with? I suppose you could say __**that **__is what I mean."_

_Red Wine knows what I'm talking about. He grabs out a dagger and immediately tosses it at the wagons that are carrying the bags. It cuts cleanly through one of the bags, and the entire room goes silent as a few smooth rocks tumble out of the bag. The king is clearly caught off-guard, but Red Wine startles me when he bursts out laughing. "That was always your favorite story, wasn't it? I always remember how awed you were that she got away with my bag of 'gold', only to find that I had switched the bag of gold with a bag of rocks. Noroi, you magnificent __**bastard**__!"_

"_What . . ."_

_I grin broadly at the king. He's clearly unsettled now that he realizes what I mean. "You promised these three equal shares of my own payment. Unfortunately, they don't like it when you offer them rocks when they were promised gold. To put it simply your majesty, if you kill me then you have no way to find where I have hidden the __**actual**__ gold. I know enough about your hired assassins to say that they __**will**__ kill you if you don't pay them."_

_I've trapped him in a corner with only one way out. He __**has**__ to make a deal with me. Still, I'm surprised when he abruptly grins. "It may surprise you to know that my son did __**not**__ take the entire treasury. I can part with some more of the treasury."_

_I can recognize a bluff when I hear one. "To what purpose? I may not know how much is left, but I know enough about gold to realize Descon put a pretty formidable dent in the pile. Do you really want to take another large chunk out of your treasury?"_

_I have him. He can't spend his gold so carelessly and he knows it. But at the same time, if he simply searches for my hiding place without any help from me then there's a good chance he won't find it for years. There's too much uncertainty involved. The king can't take that risk. The king is clearly in thought, but eventually I see him grit his teeth and look away. "Name your terms, Noroi."_

_That gets me to grin. "I will lead Rum, Tequila, and Red Wine to the gold. But in return, none of us will come back. They will have their payment and I will have my freedom."_

"_**NO!**__"_

_The king and I flinch at Ehring's outburst. When I turn to look at him, I'm startled to see just how pissed off he is. He glares viciously at me as he marches up to my cage. "You killed my brother! You killed the __**prince!**__ My other brother might have been the one to pay you, but it was __**you**__ that chose to go through with it! You are the one that decapitated Rehi! We're not going to just let you go because of -"_

"_That's enough, Ehring."_

_We both look at the king, and I grin when I see the pain on the king's face. He's figured it out. "I put no forethought into the idea that we might not have gotten the gold. If we had it then his death would be certain. But we're on his terms now. I ignored the risk of using assassins to catch an assassin, and now he's used my hired assassins to back me in to a corner. However, I would like to slightly alter your idea Noroi."_

_Hmm? I frown as I ask what his change is. "You killed the first born, a child of twenty and one years. If it can't be a life for a life, you will pay for your crime by spending twenty and one years in my dungeon. Which of course means you __**must**__ return. I will send along guards as well, to ensure you don't try to -"_

_He's struck a nerve and that makes me cut him off. "You dare impugn my honor? I'm not an oath breaker, your majesty. However, I want the number of years I will spend in the dungeon halved. In return, should I not return by the time night falls then I will walk to the guillotine of my own will. Is this fair?"_

_Of course I will return before night falls. It's only noon, and the trip will take an hour at most. While I never imagined losing ten years of my life to a dungeon, it will be a small price to pay compared to the alternatives. The king's thinking about it, and before too long he gives a very small nod. But before he can speak his third-born loses his temper again._

"_Ten years for murdering __**royalty**__? No way in hell! We __**will**__ send guards, and the guards are going to be ordered to execute you the instant you show any sign of trying to get away! Don't you __**dare**__ lecture your king on honor, you spineless __**demon!**__"_

_I sigh as I lean against my cage. Is that really the best this kid can do? All he's doing is annoying me. I don't even dignify his tantrum with a response. Instead I eye the king and wait for his reply. The king sighs before he he agrees to my terms. It clearly startles Ehring, but the king simply states that I've outplayed them._

_With that the king orders my cage opened. While Ehring refuses to let the guard with the key get over to my cage I simply sigh before I walk over to the door and, using two small metal rods I always carry with me, I pick the lock and leap to the ground. Even now Ehring tries to stop me from leaving, this time by drawing his sword. Luckily for him Whiskey Girl immediately disarms Ehring and gently restrains him. "You try to kill him and you break your father's side of the agreement. What's more, he could easily commandeer your sword and kill you with it before you even blink."_

_I glare at Ehring when he continues to struggle. When I turn to leave he demands I stay, calling me a word that causes me to stop mid-step. He's struck a nerve now. While in the back of my head I realize he may be just trying to stall me, so there's more of a chance that I won't be able to make the trip in time, thus letting them kill me, I turn around and begin walking towards him. One guard deems my actions hostile and tries to stop me. In return I commandeer the guard's sword, use it to swiftly remove the guard's helmet, and deliver a very strong kick to the side of his head._

_While other guards move in, forming a wall between me and Ehring, the other assassins all look at me in surprise. Tequila in particular speaks up, stating what all the other assassins are obviously thinking. "You went for the sword, but you didn't kill the guard? That's not like you at all Noroi."_

_I wave off the comment, instead focusing on the enraged Ehring. "Did you just call me 'heartless'?"_

_I spit out the word like poison on my tongue. He flinches, but I don't give him a chance to speak. "What do you think drives me to kill? Do you think it's the money? Is that why you think I accepted the job, because I could not resist the allure of gold? I suppose that in a way, that is correct. Do you realize what I had planned on doing after the deed was done? What do you think I would have done?"_

_The question clearly catches him off-guard, but he soon glares darkly at me. "Nothing. Nothing at all would have changed. You would have squandered away the gold, probably to pay off debts or get drunk or something like that. And when you lost your ill-gotten gains, you would have sold yourself out again."_

"_Wrong."_

_My response clearly catches him off-guard, but I sigh as I look up towards the ceiling. "In all my life, there was only one event that moved me to tears. I lost something very important to me that day. But once I pulled myself together I made a plan that would take a lifetime, a plan that would rebuild that which I lost. Unfortunately, I have a lot I need to do to make that plan a reality. There are several places I have to go and several people I need to speak to. In order to pull this plan off, I need enough gold to ensure that if I screw up any part of that plan, I have a way to ensure I can fix it."_

_I then look Ehring square in the eye. "Everyone - even me - has hopes and dreams. When someone comes up to you and offers you exactly what you need to ensure that dream becomes a reality, would you deny them because there's a chance that dream will not become true? I did not. Now look at me Ehring. Ten years is a long time, and can very easily destroy my dream. I may not have the time required to complete the plan afterwards. On top of that, someone might find the place where I have begun to make that dream a reality. If they take that from me, it will set me back by a great deal of time. But I won't give up. If there's even a chance that dream will become reality, I will take that chance."_

_For just a moment, I think I've gotten through to him. He looks down, obviously in thought. I smirk as I turn to leave, and I'm just about to tell Red Wine, Tequila, and Rum to follow me when Ehring finally replies._

"_Do you realize you are __**killing**__ people just to ensure your own dream will become real?"_

_I let out a slight grin at that. "If this assassination had fully succeeded, then your brother would have been my last kill."_

"_A dream that requires you to kill people is a nightmare."_

_I flinch, but as he continues to speak I grow more and more pissed. "Rehi had dreams too, so did all of your other victims! How can you justify __**murdering**__ people just to fulfill your 'dream'?"_

_In reply I glare at him. "Rehi was in the way of Descon's dream. Descon's dream was in the way of __**your**__ dream, so you killed him. Did you kill him to avenge your brother, or did you kill him to become the prince?"_

_I've struck a nerve. He winces as if I just hit him hard, but soon he gives me a murderous glare. "I hope this 'dream' of yours is __**never**__ fulfilled! One day__ you'll look back at your actions and see yourself for the monster that you really are!"_

_I can't help it. I laugh. In fact, I laugh hysterically. Ehring only looks more and more pissed as I keep laughing my ass off. Eventually I regain control of myself and I smile at him. "I don't believe in curses, Ehring. All you're doing now is throwing a tantrum. You know, maybe you __**should**__ have left Descon live. I don't think princes are supposed to throw tantrums when they don't get what they want. At least Descon knew that. You're just a spoiled brat, Ehring."_

_I continue laughing as I walk away from the enraged and struggling Ehring. This time I don't stop walking even when Ehring calls me something pretty damn vulgar. As I leave the room Red Wine, Tequila, and Rum follow me out. Alright, now I had to lead them to the gold. "Follow me."_

* * *

A new deal has been made. Ehring can only curse Noroi's name as Noroi sets out to fulfill his part of the bargain. Noroi has won the battle, but lost the war.

If you're wondering how I made this chapter so ridiculously fast after the last one, well, they were supposed to be both part of the same chapter. I just had a revelation that they didn't _have _to be.


End file.
